Clariant Claims Synergen OS Adjuvant Boosts Foliar Penetration

Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is to present test results showing that its Synergen® OS adjuvant boosts the foliar penetration (after 24 hours) of a broad-leafed herbicide by 5 times compared to the commercial standard. The findings will be presented at the 10th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals (ISAA), to be held in Brazil on 22-26 April 2013.

“Synergen OS massively improves spray retention and coverage,” said Sven Dammann, Clariant’s Global Marketing Manager, Crop Protection. “By using our adjuvants,farmers can get higherefficiency out of their agrochemicals.” Together with his Clariant colleague Silvia Ziebold, Global Marketing Manager, EcoTain, Dammann will present the data in an ISAA poster entitled “EcoTain® - A Systematic Approach to Sustainable Innovation. Showcased on Synergen® OS”.

Synergen® OS, a homogeneous blend of methylated seed oil and a polymeric surfactant, functions as an adjuvant and a foliar penetration enhancer in water-based and oil-based formulations. It is a natural product, with 97% of its content sourced from renewable raw materials.

Foliar penetration of a broad-leafed herbicide is boosted up to 500% by addition of Synergen® OS.

The findings demonstrate not only the power of Clariant products, but also of the company’s new business model in crop-protection. On top of its traditional global presence and expertise in surfactants, solvents and emulsifiers, the company has steadily added know-how and service in pesticide formulation, intellectualproperty guidance, and biological profiling. It was this latter capability – specifically, experiments performed at the new Innovation Center in Frankfurt (Germany) – that generated the efficiency findings for Synergen® OS.

AtISAA Clariant will also announce the introduction of its sustainability brand, EcoTain®, to its cropprotection portfolio, including Synergen® as well as Dispersogen®for dispersing agents, Emulsogen®for emulsifiers and Genagen®for solvents. Products bearing the EcoTain® brand must meet life cycle criteria in four areas: sustainable design, responsible process, safe and efficient use, and eco integration.

During the symposium, Clariant will present the following two lectures:

• Microclimate factors and the impact on agrochemical behavior
• Enhancement of foliar penetration, systemicity and spray wetting power by model adjuvant formulations of a novel oil/NIS blend

Clariant will also present the following four posters:

•    Cost-effective glyphosate adjuvants
•    EcoTain®- A systematic approach to sustainable innovation: showcased on Synergen®OS
•    A new environmentally friendly polymeric dispersing agent for highly salt-tolerant suspension concentrates
•    Testing adjuvant effects on mobility of agrochemicals in leaf interfaces